The Alpe di Fanes is one of those places where the Dolomites stop being purely vertical walls and open into wide space. It is the southern sector of the Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park, over 25,000 hectares of limestone rock, karst sinkholes, and high-altitude meadows where herds graze in summer. Scattered among the pastures are small alpine lakes, the most celebrated being Lake Limo, with its distinctive emerald green set in a grassy hollow. The landscape is almost lunar in places, yet soft and inhabited, very different from the crags that close the horizon.
Here geography is intertwined with myth. The plateau is the setting of the saga of the Kingdom of Fanes, the best-known Ladin legend: a people allied with marmots, the warrior princess Dolasilla, a promised return announced by the sound of silver trumpets. Walking among these rocks, you understand why the imagination of those who lived here gave rise to such stories. You reach it on foot from San Vigilio di Marebbe by climbing the park valleys, often via Pederu and the high-altitude huts. Good preparation, boots, and an early start are needed: the distances are long up here.
Frequently asked questions
How do you reach the Fanes Plateau?
On foot from San Vigilio di Marebbe, climbing through the valleys of the Fanes-Senes-Braies Park, often via the Pederu area and the high-altitude huts. Routes vary in length but generally involve demanding excursions.
What legends are associated with Fanes?
The plateau is the heart of the Fanes Kingdom saga, the most celebrated of the Ladin legends, featuring the warrior princess Dolasilla and the marmots allied with the Fanes people, who according to the tale still await the return of their kingdom.